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Thursday, April 21, 2011

How Do You Make Money in Genealogy?

The fourth installment of the Genea-opportunities series tackles the $64,000 question, which sadly doesn't pay that much.

You know me, people. I'm pretty transparent. These are my plans and here is my playbook:

Research - I have been and continue to take clients. I don't aggressively market myself because the traffic is steady and manageable. Eventually I will grow this portion of my genealogy pie.

Writing - In the past I have written both paid articles and non-paid pieces (though I always have a reason for writing the non-paid stuff). Recently, I have stepped up my game in the writing department with The Little Book Project That Could. I'm almost done with my first draft. It's very exciting and I think you guys are going to like it. I hope you like it, because people outside of genealogy surely won't.

My intent is to self-publish this book in softcover and as an e-book. After that I will offer up some more good content for sale as well. I also have the grains of a second book already swirling in my head.

The long term plan is to have a whole shelf full of e-books and items for purchase all about helping others maximize their family history research experience.

Speaking - I get asked to speak all the time and I turn people down all the time. I am unable to travel much because of child care issues. The authorities don't like it when I leave my kid with a box of cereal and a tv remote. My son is getting older now though, and my husband's extensive work travel schedule is in a comfortable rut. It's a good time to let go of some more "mom" duties and start flapping my gums.

Once the book is published and I have a little "free" time, I will put some presentations together and develop this arm of the Amy Coffin Empire. I intend to have several topics ready to go in the coming months.

Down the Road - I would also like to explore consulting opportunities. The developing genealogy demographic and my business research background may be of value. I won't rule this financial opportunity out, but I'm going to focus on the other things this moment. I do collect and study data for this market however, because good information professional *always* stay current.

The Sum of the Parts - As you can see, my plan is made of several pieces. It's a bit of a safety net on my part. If I hit a dry patch with few clients, I can put my energy in the other two arms and adjust as needed. This is my Plan B. And Plan C.

Well, there you have my present and future plans. I don't make a million dollars, but I am very happy with what I do. And that to me is worth a million dollars...

Kerry, no idea. All I can say is this year. The "mom" job keeps getting in the way, but I try to move the project forward a little each day. At the same time, I need to figure out the whole publishing process. Right now, however, I need to pick up my husband's clothes from the cleaners. Now do you see why I don't have a hard launch date?

Only thing I can add is that my genealogy ventures grew as my daughters did also. But it is still a labor of love, not money. Do consider speaking, though. It can be so much fun on the local level--meeting great people and getting out in front of audiences can keep many business skills sharp. Good luck and success on all your future projects! Deb